It will always be you
by islandgirl33
Summary: He never stopped loving her, he never forgot her. Now she's back and Alex is happier than ever! But will everyone else be? A/U – Season 9 Alex!


A/N - Okay, so I've caught up with the recent season of Greys Anatomy and I have to say I'm a little disappointed with the writing/screen time (or lack of), for Alex! Is the best they can do for him really just a re-hash of the tired attending/intern storyline?

So, I really wanted to write an alternate (oneshot, possibly a little more?) ending for him and how I think things would have turned out if Shonda and Katherine could have somehow worked it out for Izzie to come back (they were always meant to be end game!) I wrote this for myself more than anything, but wanted to share it with anyone else who wants things to work out differently for Alex. So this is for any other Lexzie shippers still out there! :)

(Any feedback much appreciated!)

* * *

He gazes at her face staring back at him, her big wide eyes reflecting the soft beams of moonlight. Her beautiful features illuminated as she studies his face in return. He moves slowly, intensely, savouring every moment, every thrust, as he feels his heart raging in his chest, his breath quickening as he moves closer to her. Her perfect breasts pressed against his muscular torso, his chest heaving with frantic breaths, as he senses her heart beating quickly too, in rhythm with his. Proof that she wasn't just a hopeless ideal conjured up by his imagination.

The first few times they'd been together since they had found each other again had been fast, full on and urgent, both desperate for each other, to make up for the years they'd lost. Now, it was just as intense but in a different way. Slower, more intimate, more passionate and loving, they had found that familiar tempo again, that they knew would only ever be for each other.

He moves his hand up to brush the side of her face with his thumb, tangling his fingers in her silky platinum blond hair as he leans evens closer, breathing in her scent as his lips lightly plant soft kisses on the smooth skin of her neck, her skin damp and sensitive as she lets out small moan. He moves to find her lips, as their bodies move together at the exact same pace, exact same rhythm, click, just as they always had. She kisses him back, hot and hard. His muscles strain as he lifts her hips up, gliding further in to her, increasing the contact between them. He breaks away from the kiss, his face flushed with lust as he drinks in the intimacy, their connection, it was still there, more alive than ever, it had never left.

He sucks in a breath as his powerful body strains with the need for her. He curses as his teeth grind and she lets out a breathless cry, both barely able to stand it, the lust pulsing through them. Their eyes locked as their pleasure spread and he held her gaze as she let out a sound he remembered only too well, half way between a sigh and a scream. He loses all focus as his control sways and he simultaneously lets out a low growl, his features softening for an instant with a subtle vulnerability.

He wraps his arms around her, crushing her in to him as he presses his face damp with fresh mists of sweat, in to the curve of her neck. He knows he will never find another woman alive that will make him feel like he does now.

They stay like that for a long time as they both smile, dazed and high. She whispers the little words that have been so painfully absent from his life for the past few years, _"I love you."_ He brushes the loose strands of hair away from her face as his eyes warm and tender whisper back, "I love you too, Iz."

* * *

Jo frowned at herself in the mirror as she quickly re-applied her pink lipstick and glancing at her watch she cursed as she realized she was precisely two minutes late for rounds. Dr Bennett, her resident could be a little scary when she was mad.

Rushing out of the bathroom, she glanced around, instinctively looking for him. She swallowed, annoyed that he was always the first thing she thought about when she arrived for work. Whether she would see him or not, if they would talk, if she would work with him, or if he would just catch her eye laughing at one of her jokes. She certainly hadn't planned on starting her internship by falling for one of her attendings.

It had been precisely two weeks since she had last seen him and well over that since they had spoken, and she couldn't even remember the last time they'd properly hung out together and she missed him. Where was he?

"Wilson, you're late," Bennet said coldly, as Jo sheepishly walked over to join the rest of the group. Her friend Stephanie meeting her eye for a brief second and flashing her a sympathetic smile.

"Okay, so this morning there is a big case in ped's." Bennett said, scanning Jo and her fellow interns as Jo felt adrenaline suddenly flood her system, maybe today she would get to work with him again. "So, Edwards, you can join Dr Robbins." Jo felt her heart sink a little as her angry resdient then turned to her. "Wilson, you're with Dr Yang."

...

"How is that fair? You rock up late for rounds and you get to work with Yang?" Stephanie said pouting as she marched alongside Jo, quickly adding, "Wanna swap? I got ped's." Raising her eyebrows and grinning a little as Jo scowled back at her.

Jo bit her lip a little, contemplating whether to say anything or not, Stephanie was her friend and probably the person she trusted the most in Seattle, but she still found it hard to be fully open with her as she said as casually as she could, "So, you seen Karev round recently?"

Stephanie gave her a puzzled look as she replied, "No, haven't you? I mean I thought you guys would have…..by now."

"What?" Jo exclaimed laughing a little as her cheeks flushed.

"You like him, he likes you. When you going to stop teasing the guy and just give it up? I can assure you the real thing is _so_ much better than the fantasy," Stephanie replied giggling too.

Jo wasn't jealous that her friend was sleeping with Jackson Avery, she was jealous that she was having hot sex with her boss and she wasn't.

"Well, that would be a little difficult, seeing as I haven't laid eyes on him for weeks." Jo replied, pausing and waiting for her friend to react. She knew Avery was Alex's friend if anyone knew where he was, he would and he would have been bound to have let something slip to Stephanie.

"Yeah, come to thing of it he hasn't been around for a while." Stephanie replied wrinkling her forehead.

"You don't think he's…he's left, do you?" Jo quickly said without thinking.

"What, gone to Hopkins? I doubt it, but I'll find out from Jackson. Because, you two need to get it on and soon." Stephanie replied with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Wilson," A fierce female voice yelled, causing Jo to groan inwardly as she turned to see the stern and scary eyes of Dr Yang burning in to her.

…...

"Somewhere you need to be?" Yang said bluntly as hours later, Jo looked at her watch for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. Yang's service was normally exciting but today all they had done was rounded, charted and discussed fitting an old guy with a pace maker. The small talk had also been non-existent. Yang spoke to her only when absolutely necessary and her tone was distant, cold and aloof. She was a robot. Jo didn't take it personally, Yang was like that with pretty much everyone, and as the day had progressed, it had made Jo miss Alex even more. He had always made sure he explained everything to her in great detail, and that together with their flirty banter always made the time go so quickly. He valued her opinion and treated her like another human being, like an equal and fellow professional. Unlike Yang, who looked at all her interns like they were a complete irritation and something she had scraped off the bottom of her shoe.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jo looked up to see Meredith Grey walking over to Yang. Yang's face softened slightly as she dropped her harsh front for her friend. Jo tried not to listen to their conversation, she didn't care what they were discussing until she heard Grey suddenly say, "What's going on with Alex? I haven't seen him for ages?"

That then had Jo's full attention as she subtly moved a little closer to them and instinctively glanced over to see Dr Yang leaning in to her friend, speaking in a hurried low voice, almost a whisper, deep in some sort of explanation. Meredith's face quickly turned to one of shock as her hand flew up to her mouth and she said, "Seriously, wow!"

Jo felt her insides churn with anxiety as she strained to catch what they were saying, when suddenly Yang looked up catching her eye and saying loudly, "Can I help you?"

"Oh, no, no…" Jo stuttered as her cheeks went red and she looked back down at her chart. So, maybe Alex was going to Hopkins after all. Or, worse, maybe something had happened to him?

* * *

Izzie made her way downstairs, dressed only in one of Alex's oversized shirts, to find him sat frowning at his computer screen, scanning through his emails. He looked up as he saw her and smiled a little as he turned back to the screen.

"I just spoke to Cristina," She said as she moved to sit on his lap wrapping her arms around his neck forcing him to lean back slightly and look in to her wide expressive eyes as her long blond hair flopped over her face. "I'm meeting the chief tomorrow, she's pretty certain he'll agree to me running the clinic again and she thinks there could also be an opening in general surgery too."

Alex broke in to a wide grin as he looked up at her, "That's great, Iz. Really great." He said excitedly as he brought her face in to his and kissed her.

* * *

Jo wasn't quite sure what she was doing as she approached Alex's house. She'd tried to call him again but he hadn't answered and he also hadn't replied to the last three text messages she had sent him. Normally he replied straight away. Hearing, Yang and Grey discussing him earlier had made her realise she needed to tell him how she felt. She was done playing games. He didn't even know that she had broken up with Jason.

She took a deep breath as she tried to pull herself together. Ringing the doorbell, she felt her pulse race. She had been to his house many times and it had always been easy, casual and fun. But this time it was different.

Just as she was about to give up and walk away the door opened. Expecting Alex, Jo couldn't hide the surprise on her face when instead a stunning blonde opened the door. She was dressed in skimpy shorts and a tight top. Her skin was flawless and she had the prettiest eyes Jo had ever seen. She was tall and curvy and her shiny blonde hair fell loosely around her shoulders, she looked like a model.

"I, err…Is Alex home?" Jo said, realizing instantly that is had been a mistake to come here. He had told her he was done screwing around, but obviously he'd had a change of heart and looking at the gorgeous woman in front of her Jo could see why. Perhaps she'd laugh with him about it later, over a beer. Jo was a little jealous, but could she really blame him for wanting to get laid? When as far as he was concerned she was still with Jason and not interested.

Before the blonde woman had the chance to actually say anything, Alex appeared. He was casually dressed too, in jeans and a black vest and his hair was a little ruffled. He looked straight at her a little awkwardly and Jo could tell there was something different about him. He had lost his overly confident edge and gone was the cocky grin he normally gave her. He almost looked more relaxed, just like any other regular guy chilling at home.

"Hey," he said to her, as a phone suddenly rang in the house and the blond looked at Alex and said quietly, "I better get that," As he nodded and smiling at Jo, the mystery woman turned to walk back in to the house, brushing her hand lightly against his arm in the process.

"You weren't answering your phone or texts and I haven't seen you in work for a while. So, I just thought I'd stop by, see if you wanted to go for a beer?" Jo said a little uneasily, already regretting it as she saw the uncomfortable look cross his face.

"Yeah, I had some leave to take," he said clumsily, adding. "Now's not really a great time, sorry," looking straight at her as she quickly looked away, trying to hide the look of disappointment appearing on her face.

"Sure, I see that," she quickly managed to say, forcing a small grin as he forced one back.

"Catch you in work then, maybe we could grab a coffee or something?" he said kindly.

"Yeah, that would be cool," she replied as she bit her lip and turned to walk away. Willing herself not to cry.

….

Walking down the street away from Alex's house Jo felt her eyes sting with tears. She wasn't quite sure why. But that hadn't gone at all as she had expected or hoped. She had no right to be mad at Alex. He could sleep with whoever he wanted, she had. That was until Jason had broken up with her, because he was fed up of feeling like her mind was elsewhere when they were together. Jo had no idea who the blonde in Alex's house was but she was fairly certain he wasn't seeing anyone, he'd made it clear he wasn't up for relationships, so the woman must just be a one night stand or something, she thought.

Turning to walk towards her car, she heard footsteps coming up behind her and she instantly turned around to see Alex stood in front of her.

"Maybe, I could do with a beer after all," he said, as her face lit up and she instantly smiled and said, "Okay, great."

* * *

As Alex put the money down for the drinks, Jo suddenly felt more at ease. They'd made small talk on the way in. Mainly about work stuff, and as she sipped her beer she felt herself working up the courage to start the conversation she so desperately wanted to have. "Not sure if you got my text, but I broke up with Jason."

Alex's phone suddenly vibrated from where he had placed it down on the bar, he ignored it as he fidgeted and sipped his beer and said, "Yeah, I know, sorry….. I saw your text, was going to reply but I had a lot on last week."

"Oh, right, thats okay," Jo replied as she went on to explain, "He thought I wasn't really that in to him, that I wanted to be with someone else…" She stopped, looking over at him cautiously as he remained silent, looking away from her and down at his beer.

She had known this conversation wouldn't be easy, that Alex was always so closed and defensive, but she hadn't anticipated he would be this guarded. With her eyes still fixed firmly on him, she said laughing a little to lighten the atmosphere, "So, the blonde?"

"Izzie," he replied as he turned to look at her, and she couldn't stop her mouth from gaping wide open as it hit her.

"Izzie… As in your ex-wife, _Izzie?"_ She said. Jo didn't really know anything about Alex's ex-wife apart from she was called Izzie and used to work at the hospital as a fellow intern of Alex, Yang and Grey. Alex had been open with Jo about everything else from his past, his family, troublesome childhood and time in foster care. But when it came to his ex-wife, he had been extremely cagey and closed. She'd heard the inevitable rumours that his wife had left him when she'd got cancer. But it was a subject Jo had never felt comfortable approaching with him.

"Yep, _wife _actually. Our divorce was never actually finalised," he replied.

"Oh,….. so, she's back?" was all Jo could respond in shock .

"Yeah, she's back," he said slowly and carefully.

"Are you getting back together then?" Jo said as she quickly thought back to the skimpy shorts Izzie had been wearing and the way she had looked at Alex earlier. She was beautiful, not quite what she had expected, but then she wasn't really sure what she had expected Alex's wife to be like.

He sipped his beer again as he replied, "We're trying to work things out, yeah."

She knew just from the way he said it, he was serious. Jo felt as though she had been punched in the gut as she tried to remain composed, as she said slightly shakily and almost a little bitterly, "How do you know she won't leave you again?"

His eyes met hers, as he said clearly, "I don't. But she's told me she still loves me, that she'll never leave me again, so I have to believe her."

"Do you still love her?" She replied as she gripped her beer.

He sighed as he said, "I've loved her from the first moment I set eyes on her, I always will. She made me the person I am today. Before I found her I just wasn't a good person, believe me. You wouldn't have wanted to know me back then. But she made me realise that I didn't have to be that person, and when she left me it broke me and I never really recovered. She made me happy for the first time in my life, _really_ happy."

Jo was a little taken aback at how honest he was being with her, but she knew what he was trying to say to her. She also knew she would regret it forever if she didn't say what she was about to say next. "What if there is another option for you now? What if there was someone else that could make you happy?"

He shook his head as he said, "I could never give you what you want, what you deserve. You deserve better than being someone's second best."

She'd managed to hold them back so far, but now she couldn't help the tears from flowing as she snapped, "So, if she'd never come back and something had happened between us that's all I'd ever have been to you, second best?"

"You could have any guy you wanted, look at you. They're lining up around the block for you. You can do better than me.." He said gently.

"What if I don't want to do better than you," she choked in between her tears. She knew she probably looked like an emotional wreck but she couldn't help it. What had started as a silly little crush on Alex had turned in to something else. She knew she'd been playing games, but it had been fun and somehow she'd felt as thought they'd be together in the end. Here now though it was very clear the games had stopped. Alex had changed, everything had changed, his wife was back. What ever it was that had been going on between them, was just his way of passing time until Izzie came back.

"Listen, I'd like it if we could still be friends," he said a little apprehensively.

"Yeah," she mumbled back. He was still her boss after all and a total kickass surgeon, that she absolutely loved working with. Although, she feared now everything would be very different. As annoyingly she felt the tears slide down her cheeks even more uncontrollably, as he looked on at her concerned and unsure what to say next.

Before either of them could say anything else, the door to the bar swung open and Jackson and Stephanie waltzed in arm in arm laughing together.

"Hey guys," Stephanie said as they walked up to join Alex and Jo at the bar. The smile on both her and Jackson's faces suddenly disappearing as they picked up on the tense atmosphere and took in Jo's tear stained face and Alex's awkward expression.

"I'd better get going," Alex said as he stood up and nodded at Jackson and looking at Jo he said, "See you in work."

…..

With Alex gone Jackson quickly looked to make his excuses for a moment, sensing Jo probably wanted to talk to Stephanie alone as he said, "I'm just going to the bathroom."

"You okay? What was all that just about with Alex?... Seriously, Jo, when are you guys just going to quit playing games and get it on?" Stephanie said playfully as she slid on to the vacant stool next to Jo.

"Try never….His wife's back." Jo replied bitterly

"Oh, yeah, I know." Stephanie replied suddenly looking a little sheepish.

"What? Why didn't you say anything," Jo snapped at her friend.

"Jackson just told me, she's back in Seattle and coming back to work at the hospital. He wasn't sure what was going on with Alex though. I'm sorry, I didn't realise she was back here for him, I didn't think." Stephanie said, her face turning to one of concern as she added kindly,"I don't know, maybe it's for the best though, you know he can be a huge douche and maybe you can work things out with Jason now?"

"Yeah, maybe," Jo mumbled as she looked down at her drink.

* * *

Alex sighed as he walked in to the hall and threw his keys down on the side

He could honestly say his conversation with Jo had been one of the hardest most difficult things he'd had to do in a long time. He'd never been in that situation before, sure he'd hurt more women than he cared to remember. But mostly it didn't bother him, he didn't owe them anything he was always upfront about his intentions with them. But with Jo he'd know for a while that she liked him more than she let on. He'd also known that he could have put the moves on her months ago. But he hadn't wanted to do that, he'd liked hanging out with her, she reminded him a lot of his younger sister. But he couldn't argue with the fact she wasn't bad to look at either and for while he had felt as though maybe there could be more, maybe he could have shot at a future with her. But the moment he'd seen Izzie again, he'd known the only person he'd ever get that feeling with was Izzie. All feelings he'd thought he'd had for anyone else had instantly vanished.

He walked in the kitchen and was instantly met with the waft of fresh cookies. Izzie had been baking, making him feel right at home.

"How'd it go?" She said her eyes full of concern, as he went straight to the fridge taking a beer out and slumping down at the kitchen table.

"Ah, okay. I mean she seemed a bit upset." Alex replied.

"Oh, I'm sure she'll be okay, she'll get over it soon enough? She's young, pretty, she has her whole residency ahead of her to find her own 'evil spawn' out there somewhere," Izzie said as she walked over to him.

"I dunno, she seemed pretty cut up. I didn't realise how much she wanted me." He replied.

Izzie just looked at him raising her eyebrows. "She wanted you, huh?" She said as she pushed his chair back and climbed on to his lap, straddling him, flinging her long blonde hair back and pushing her breasts against his chest as he smiled slyly and looked up at her

"She wanted me, like pretty much every other female on the planet," Alex said arrogantly as he ran his hands up and down her back and under her top, resting them at the top of her panties as she leaned in and kissed him, slowly with real feeling. He pulled her closer to him as the sensation of her touch rocketed through him instantly arousing him as he pushed in to her body further.

Eventually she broke the kiss and reaching down she fumbled with the zipper on his jeans as she reached down and inside his boxers, causing him to gasp out as her hands wrapped around him and his head fell back as he rolled his eyes. There was nothing like the familiarity of being with someone that knew you so well. Nothing had changed in that department, she still knew how to get him off perfectly, the exact right amount of pressure, the exact right motions. And it took all his mental strength to gently prize her eager fingers away from him as he tenderly pulled off her panties and she tugged at his shirt, opening her legs wider. He looked deep in to her eyes and she suddenly whispered a little breathlessly, "We are doing the right thing, aren't we?"

He took a moment then, as he studied her beautiful features and he knew he'd never been so sure about anything in his life, as with his breath hot against her ear he whispered, "_We're doing the right thing_." And he pressed his lips in to hers again, kissing her furiously and passionately, as he expressed his love for her through the heat of the kiss and nothing else could make that moment better, he felt completely fulfilled.

* * *

A/N – Okay, so this was a bit different to my usual stuff, so what do you think? Also, I didn't actually plan to have Jo in it so much. But it was just the way it turned out! As can happen sometimes!


End file.
